Starting switch



Jan. 5 1926.

R. KELLENDORFER STARTING SWITCH Filed Oct.

Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

UNITED STATES RICHARD KELLENDORFER, OF MUNICH, GERMANY.

STARTING- SWITCH.

Application filed October 5, 1923. Serial No. 666,799.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RICHARD KnLLnN- nonrnn, a citizen of Bavaria,Germany, residing at Munich, Germany, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Starting Switches (for which I have filedapplication in Germany Oct. 2, 1922), of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric circuit makers andbreakers and more particularly to an improved switch for use in startingelectric apparatus.

The starting switch consists of a rocking casing containing a carbonresistance or the like, said casing and cooperating conduits, containingan electricity conducting liquid, which rises on the'resistance when thecasing is moved to a predetermined position, and thus gradually cuts outthe resistance or decreases the latter until the liquid reaches aconductor forming part of the switch. The electric conducting liquid ispreferably quick silver.

The switch according to the invention may be employed for startingdirect current, alternating current or tri-phase current motors orapparatus, and may be inserted in the circuit of the stator or rotor ofa motor.

One advantage of the invention is that the shape of the resistance andof the conduits or receptacles for the conducting liquid, may be variedas desired to permit a predetermined manner of starting a particularapparatus or motor.

The invention will now be described in detail while referring to theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a switch constructed inaccordance with the invention, while occupying the position which itassumes in making a circuit.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views of the switch, in the circuit of acontinuous or direct current motor and a tri-phase induc tion motorrespectively.

The switch comprises a hollow casing 104 carried by a rock shaft 1.00,supported in a plate 101, and connected, if desired, with a handle to beused in oscillating the casing. The entire switch, in action ispreferably rockable through an angle of about degrees, as shown in Fig.1 by the arrow 102.

The casinghouses a solid resistance 103, preferably formed of carbon,and this resistance has its lower portion of inverted cone shape and itsupper portion of cylindrical shape. The casing 104 is also preferably ofcone shape and is spaced from the cone shaped portion of the resistance,so that a conducting fluid 107 may flow down the conduit 105 and riseinto the annular chamber 125, when the switch is in the position shownin Fig. 1. The conducting liquid is normally contained in a chamber 106which communicates with the upper portion of the chamber 125, through aduct 108.

The resistance 103 is insulated from the casing 104 and is fixed in thelatter by means of an inverted insulating cup 109 which ongages aninverted cup 110 of current conducting material, the latter engaging thehead portion of the resistance 103. The conductor 110 is provided with aconducting contact 112 which projects into a pocket formed at the lowerportion of a vessel 111, which is mounted in insulation at the upper endof the casing 104. Two other contacts 114 and 115 project into thevessel 111 and are respectively connected with terminal posts 116 and117, which are insulated from the casing. The apparatus or motor orparts of these, which is to be started, is arranged between one of saidterminal posts and the wire, and such arrangements are diagrammaticallyshown in Figs. 3 and 4. The vessel 111 is also partly filled with anelectric conducting liquid, for instance quick silver.

Referring to Fig. 3, it is pointed out that the main wires 118 and 119are connected to master switches 120 and 121, the latter being connectedwith a motor, whose field winding 122 is connected in parallel with itsrotorwinding 123. The switches 120 and 121 may be of the typeautomatically actuated by means of the same handle, as is employed torock my improved switch. The starting switch is shown diagrammaticallyat 124 and it is interposed between the master switch 121 and the rotor123.

In Fig. 4 a tri-phase induction motor is illustrated. In this figure themain line wires 37 are connected to master switches which in turn arewired with the stator winding 34. The rotor winding (not shown) isconnected with three starting. switches 1 containing the resistances 2,3 and 4. Each of these starting switches is of the same general typeillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. These resistances 2, 3 and 4 aresuccessively cutout by means o'f'the conductor 38.

uid 107 occupies the chamber 106 and there is no conducting liquid incontact with tie resistance 103. By tipping or rocking the starter in acounter clockwise direction, to the position shown in Fig. 1, the switchis brought into a position, where the liquid 107 will flow downwardlythrough the pipe 105 into the lower end of the chamber 125 and graduallythis chamber will be filled. As the wall of the casing 104 consists ofelectric conducting material, the slowly rising liquid in the chamber125 will complete a circuit through the resistance 103, and thisresistance will be gradually decreased until the liquid reaches thelower end of the conductor 110, at which time the resistance will beentirely cut out. At this time the cap 110 is directly connected withthe wall 10% by the conducting liquid. From the foregoing it may be seenthat this switch first throws in a relatively great resistance, thengradually decreases this resistance, and finally cuts the resistance outaltogether.

Vhen the starting switch is turned in the position shown in Fig. l, theconducting liquid in the vessel 111 flows over the contacts 114i, 112and 115, and first connects the contacts 11% and 112, and at the sametime the current is flowing through the cap 110, resistance 103 and theterminal post 117, so that the main line current flows from the post 117over the contacts 11st and 112, the sap 110, the resistance 103, theliquid in the space 125, to the wall oi the receptacle or casing 104i,and from this casing to the terminal post 106, which is connected to theapparatus or motor that is to be started. After this, the liquid in theciiamber 111 flows to the contact 115 and thereby connects the main post117 and the contact 114 with the contact 115, and the other post 116,which is used in special cases.

In the arrangement according to Fig. 3, the post 126 is connected to therotor 123, while the post 116 is connected with the field winding 122.It may be seen that by tipping the switch to the position shown in Fig.1, the field winding 122 is connected at once with the main line throughthe liquid ing switch is employed, in which the vessel 111 is omittedand the posts 116 and .117 are eliminated. In this :ase the posts 126are connected respectively with the ends of the tri-phase rotor-winding,which is connected to slide rings 39, 40 and all. In this case theresistances 2, 3 and. 1 are gradually cut out.

The starting switch is tipped by turning the axis 11, whereby the masterswitches 35 are first thrown in and the stator winding 3% receives atonce the full voltage, while the resistances 2, 3 and 41- are slowlythrown out or gradually decreased by the rising of the liquid in thecasings 1 of said resistances. hen it is desired to disconnect theapparatus or motor, the starting switch is turned degrees in a clockwisedirection, and this causes the liquid 107 to flow out of the chamber 125through the port 108 and pipe 105, back into the receptacle 106. At thesame time the contacts 115, 1.12 and 11a are disconnected by the liquidin the vessel 111 flowing toward the right hand end of the latter.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters-Patent is:

1. An electric starting switch comprising a casing, a solid resistancearranged in the casing and spaced from the latter, a chamber containingconducting liquid only, and a conduit arranged exteriorly of the spacebetween the casing and resistance and connecting the chamber to thecasing, whereby when the casing, resistance, chamber and conduit aretipped, the conducting liquid will flow from the chamber into the casingand gradually decrease said resistance.

2. An electric starting switch comprising a casing including a currentconducting portion, a resistance extending into the casing and movablewith the latter, said resistance being spaced from the wall of thecasing, a chamber containing a conducting liquid only, a conduitarranged outside of the space between the casing and resistance andcasing, said chamber and conduit being also movable with the casing,whereby the tipping of the parts will cause the conducting liquid toflow from the chamber into the easing and gradually decrease saidresistance.

3. An electric starting switch comprising a rockable casing having anelectricity con ducting portion adapted to be connected to one wire 01the electric circuih'a resistance arranged in the casing, movable withthe latter and adapted to be connected to the other wire of an electriccircuit, said resistance being spaced from the conducting portion ofsaid casing, a chamber movable with the casing and containing anelectric conducting liquid only, and a conduit arranged outside of thespace between the casing and resistance and placing the interior of thecasing in connnunication with said. chamber, whereby when the device istipped in one direction conducting liquid will flow between theresistance and the conducting portion of said casing and graduallydecrease or cut out said resistance, and when the device is tipped in anopposite direction, the conducting liquid will flow from the casing intosaid chamber.

4. An electric starting switch comprising a solid resistance adapted tobe connected to one pole of an electric circuit, means for conveying aconducting liquid along said resistance to gradually decrease or cut outthe latter when the resistance has been tipped to a predeterminedposition, said means being adapted to be connected to the other pole ofsaid circuit, conducting liquid storing and conveying means arrangedexteriorly of the first mentioned means, movable with the resistance andarranged to feed conducting liquid to the bottom of the first mentionedmeans, and a port placing the first mentioned means and the storingmeans in communication at their upper portions.

5. An electric starting switch comprising a solid resistance having aninverted coneshaped lower portion, a casing surrounding the lowerportion of the resistance and having a conducting portion, a chambercontaining conducting liquid only, and a conduit arranged exteriorly ofsaid casing and connecting said chamber to the lower end of said casing.

6. An electric starting switch comprising a rockable resistance, acasing movable with said resistance, having an electricity conductingportion and adapted to convey a conducting liquid along the resistancefor gradually cutting the latter out of a circuit, a chamber movablewith said casing and containing a conducting liquid, a pipe connectingthe chamber to said casing, a vessel movable with said casing andcontaining a conducting liquid and a plurality of contacts, meansconnecting one of said contacts electrically to said resistance, andterminal posts connected to the other con tacts.

7. An electric starting switch comprising a rockable solid resistance,conducting fluid conveying means extending along the resistance andprovided with a conducting portion having a terminal post, a chambermovable with said resistance and containing a conducting liquid only,and a conduit arranged exteriorly of said means and placing said chamberin communication with said means, whereby when the resistance is tippedin one direction the conducting liquid will flow from the chamber intosaid means and gradually decrease or cut out said resistance.

8. An electric starting switch comprising a solid resistance adapted tobe rocked about a horizontal axis, a metallic cap at the upper end ofsaid resistance, a contact connected to said cap, conducting liquidconveying means movable with the resistance and arranged to feedconducting liquid along the resistance for gradually decreasing orcutting the latter out and finally bringing the conducting liquid intocontact with the cap, a terminal post for said means, a chamber movablewith the resistance and containing conducting liquid, and a conduitconnecting the chamber to said means, whereby when the resistance istippedin one direction, conducting liquid will flow from the chamberinto said means.

9. An electric starting switch comprising a rock shaft, a resistancefixed to said shaft, means movable with the resistance and arranged toconvey a conducting liquid along the latter when the rock shaft is movedin one direction, a chamber fixed to the resistance and containing aconducting liquid only, and a conduit arranged exteriorly of said meansand connecting said chamber with said means.

10. An electric starting switch comprising a casing rockable about ahorizontal axis and having an electricity conducting portion adapted tobe connected to one pole of an electric circuit, a solid resistancearranged fixedly within the casing and spaced from the electricityconducting portion of the latter, means for connecting said resistanceto the other pole of said circuit, a chamber fixed to said casing andcontaining a conducting liquid only, and a conduit arranged exteriorly01 said casing and connecting said chamber to the lower end of saidcasing, whereby when the casing, resistance and chamber are moved to acertain position, the conducting liquid will flow 1rom the chamberthrough the conduit and into the casing, and will grad ually rise alongsaid resistance and gradually cut the latter out of the circuit.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

RICHARD KELLENDORFER.

